The Runner
by RisingStar313
Summary: "When Logan first saw the kid, he was unimpressed. There he was, in the corner of the country diner, a scrawny Latino boy, probably around 14 or 15." In which Logan gives a ride to a mysterious and unlikely acquaintance, one that strangely reminds him of himself.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Greetings. This idea has been dancing around in my head for a while. Logan are Leo are two of my favorite characters, and I figured it's entirely possible for them to have run into each other somewhere along the way. I love the protective instinct Logan shows with Rogue, so i applied it here as well. This is meant to take place a little before TLH, before Leo was sent to the Wilderness School.**

**Enjoy, and please review to tell me what you think!**

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When Logan first saw the kid, he was unimpressed. There he was, in the corner of the country diner, a scrawny Latino boy, probably around 14 or 15. His hair was disheveled, and his army jacket was wrinkled and dirty, as if he'd been sleeping outside. From his pocket he pulled out a dollar bill and a handful of change. He looked at it miserably, as if he knew there wasn't enough to get much more than a side dish.

Logan wasn't the sentimental type. He made a point not to care too deeply about anyone or anything. But for some reason, the sight of this kid struck a chord with him. He was alone, probably on the run, hungry, and afraid. And something told Logan that this kid was different from other people. It triggered an instinct that Logan did possess: protectiveness.

The waiter approached the kid skeptically. "Can I get you something?"

He gulped, and glanced at the menu. "I'll, uh…"

"Make it two grilled burgers with fries," said Logan, pulling up a chair across the table.

The boy stared at Logan, uncomprehending. The waiter raised an eyebrow, but replied, "Anything to drink?"

"I'll take a beer." He looked to the boy, who, with a shaky voice, said, "Uh, Coke is fine." The waiter nodded and left.

For a moment, the boy just stared wide-eyed at Logan. Then he shifted his gaze to the table. "Why… uh, why'd you do that?"

"You looked hungry," Logan replied nonchalantly. "Got a name, kid?"

"Leo," he said with hesitation.

"Logan."

For the next ten minutes, they sat in silence. Logan lit a cigarette. When their food came, Leo ate hungrily, savoring each bite. When he noticed Logan staring, he stopped.

"Sorry," he said. "It's just been awhile since… well, since I had a meal like this."

"Don't apologize. Eat up." Logan sighed. The kid did look skinny. He wondered how long he'd been on the road. A couple of weeks? Longer? It seemed he'd been through a lot, and despite his elfish appearance, his eyes carried demons inside.

Logan glanced toward the kitchens, where a group of waiters was whispering. One pointed subtly in their direction. He shifted uneasily in his seat. Leo seemed to have noticed them too, because he shoveled the last few fries into his mouth, and got up out of his seat, locking eyes with Logan. They paid hastily and left the diner.

"Tell me where you're headed," said Logan as they approached the van.

"Um, Colorado Springs," Leo replied.

"I can take you as far as Denver. Hop in." He was about to start the engine when Leo's hand stopped him.

"Wait. I just need to warn you. Sometimes… I cause trouble for people who help me. I don't know what it is. It's like the bad luck just finds me. And I don't want to cause any trouble for you. So you might want to think about it before you give me a ride."

Logan sighed. "Look, kid. I get it. I run into trouble a lot of the time, too. Whatever business you're on about, I can handle it. If there's anyone who's taking a risk here, it's you."

"If you say so." Leo sighed, still looking uneasy, but settled back in his seat. As the mountainous landscape rushed by and the sky grew dimmer, his eyes became droopier, until he started to snore. Logan cracked a smile. Maybe he was imagining it, but it looked like little curls of smoke were emanating from the kid's untidy hair.

Logan stole a glance at the rearview mirror to make sure they weren't being followed. He didn't fancy a visit from any government types, particularly Nick Fury. Not only would it be a major inconvenience for him, but something told him they would take an interest in Leo as well. He didn't quite smell like a mutant, but there was something off about him. Something powerful.

As the road started to wind through the mountains, it got narrower and narrower. It didn't help when it began to rain. The old van creaked against the incline. Then Logan heard a very distinct _thump._ He stopped the van, and after a moment, got out to investigate the sound.

He couldn't see anything amiss, but something about the air didn't smell right. Crossing to the passenger side, he saw a small dent in the door that wasn't there before. Growling, he was about to get back in the car, when a giant _something _tackled him out of nowhere.

"Hey!" he growled, flinging it away. He expected perhaps Sabertooth or one of his friends. This thing, though… it wasn't human in any way, shape or form. Covered in glistening green scales, it was like a small dragon, only without wings. The creature was shorter than Logan by about a foot, but its body was twice as wide.

The creature snarled, looking at the passenger side door. Logan stepped in front of it, turning the attention to himself. "Wanna dance, Bub?" he asked threateningly, as Adamantium claws shot out from each hand.

Its thunderous roar echoed over the mountainside, and he could tell it was about to strike, when out of nowhere, an bronze spear pierced its hide. From the rocks above, a gruff voice yelled, "DIE!"

A man jumped down and began to beat the creature with a club. Meanwhile the wound from the spear got bigger, as if the skin around it was dissolving into dust. In a matter of twenty seconds, it was completely gone.

The man turned around to face Logan. He was short and stocky, only about five feet tall. He had some sort of weird, furry pants on… except, Logan realized, they were his legs. The guy had goat legs.

_Okay, _he thought. _Another weird mutant. What is this, a party?_

After a moment of silence, the goat-man spoke. "You're lucky that drakon was just a baby, cupcake. Good thing I was in the area."

Logan scowled. "I didn't need your help, Bub." He held up his claws, which were still extended. "I don't know about you, but I think I can handle myself."

Goat-man had the nerve to laugh. "You think those would've stood a chance against a drakon? Please. Only Celestial bronze can get under that skin."

For fear he would pummel the guy, Logan stepped back. "Whatever. Now if you don't mind, I'll be on my way." He turned to leave, but the goat-man grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey! That thing wouldn't go after you for no reason, mortal. There's got to be—" He stopped abruptly, noticing Leo, who was beginning to stir. Tentatively, he asked, "Who's the kid?"

Logan growled. "None of your business, Bub! Now, like I said, we'll be on our way." Before the guy could get another word in, Logan got into the van and slammed the door. He drove off, leaving the goat-man standing in the rain, glaring at the van with suspicion.

Leo sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Guess I was more tired tan I thought."

"Don't worry about it, kid. Another twenty miles."

Leo nodded, tapping out a rhythm on his knee with one finger. Logan looked sideways at him. He couldn't help wondering what this kid's deal was, why he was so special. The goat-man seemed to know something, and maybe Logan shouldn't have brushed him off so quickly, but he felt like it would be betrayal to turn him over so quickly.

Finally, they reached their destination. A suburb of Denver, where there was a bar that Logan had gone to a couple times before. The people who ran it were kind, and were willing to rent out the rooms above when available. Logan could use of bit of a recharge, someplace with cold beer and a warm fire.

Leo hopped out, taking in the setting. For a moment, he stared after Logan, who was on his way inside. He didn't seem to know quite what to do. Logan walked back to him.

"I'm staying here tonight. You can go now, or you can stay. It's up to you, kid." Leo looked hungrily at the bar for a moment, then shivered in the rain. He looked at Logan and nodded. "I'm in."

It didn't take long to get the room settled. Leo went straight upstairs, while Logan had drank by the fireplace. On instinct, he glanced around suspiciously, but no one gave him a second look.

Once he was finished, Logan went upstairs to the room. Leo was passed out on the couch, his hair wet from a warm shower. Being on the verge of collapse himself, Logan plopped down on the bed and shut his eyes.

When the morning came, Logan got up to find a note on the bedside table. _Thanks. I mean it. –L._

He looked at the couch, and Leo was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I know I've been getting a lot of requests to continue this. I'm sorry, but there is no more. Leo eventually gets caught and is sent to the Wilderness school, while Logan continues north, meets Rogue and goes to the Xavier Institute. It would be highly improbable for them to meet again, and writing a continuation would feel sort of ramble-ish. However, I'm touched that this story got such a good reception, and there very well may be more crossovers in the future :)**

**Until then, I've got some other one-shots that could use some love, and I'll try to cook up something else soon. Thanks again for your fantastic support!**


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